The Cycle of Brands + Members

The Cycle of Brands + Members


As an association some of our goals include connecting our members with education, an expanded network, as well as industry brands you can rely on. Associations such as ours go beyond providing members with pro deals and discounts — there is so much more to the brand partnerships we make. 
 

What Do We Mean by Brand Partnerships?

We work to connect brands with our association, via exhibiting, offering pro deals, sponsoring education, and more. This gives brand exposure and creates awareness within our community. We do this to serve our members and support the outdoor industry.

How does this work?

Each brand we work with exists to solve a specific problem. We need partnerships with other brands and organizations in order to “fill the gaps” of expertise. For example, AORE is skilled at sourcing professional development/career advancement opportunities and creating a strong network of outdoor professionals – but we don’t build the safety equipment that our members need to perform their job. So, we build partnerships with the brands that DO offer safety equipment. 

We work with brands to help bridge gaps, help make connections, and generate growth for both members and brands. We are always here with our members in mind — aiming to provide resources you can use for personal and professional advancement. Our goal is to also help brands, from small businesses to larger companies, to share their gear with the world. 

 

What’s in These Partnerships for Members?

For one, you can save money! But you can also build relationships with vendors and find new and exciting brands and gear. Brands are excited to share new innovations and upgraded gear with you, AORE’s goal is to help facilitate these conversations. 

Partnerships with reliable brands also help our members sift through the numerous outdoor brands and find the ones that provide quality, innovation, and specialized gear. We can also help members find brands that are actively engaged in causes important to you, such as sustainability, support/warranty, and beyond. We also love brands who provide educational resources and workshops, helping customers understand their gear and practice safety.
Brands that exhibit at our trade show are a great example of making a connection. These brands want to connect with you and build a relationship with you. This helps you whether you need personal gear or gear for your entire program. 

We encourage you to check out our pro deals, sponsors, and exhibitors. These companies are buying into AORE because they want to support you! We are always looking for suggestions on brands you’d like to see working in partnership with AORE. You can share your suggestion here.  
 

What’s in These Partnerships for Brands?

As mentioned, companies are buying into AORE because they support our members and our mission. Our partnerships are made to build exposure and awareness for brands. If you are a brand just getting into the market, perfect! We can connect you with members who need your goods and services. If you have been around for a while, we can help you connect with an audience you have not reached. 

Our members range from those in academia, running large outdoor recreation programs to private sector adventure companies. When members purchase through you, they will be representing your gear in front of a wider audience. We see members purchase gear for personal use and decide they like it so much they buy in bulk for their programs. We can help you create activation campaigns that drive sales, build awareness and create loyalty – leading to lifelong consumers. Additionally, AORE believes that brands know and can see the value and influence that our members have - they directly show and use products with program participants and this value cannot be replaced by Instagram Reels or TikToks.

We are stronger together — we are always on the lookout for partnerships we can build to strengthen brand value and reputation for all parties. We celebrate the brands who are durable, share their latest innovations, and support local and national causes. Let us help you grow in new markets with advertising, sponsorships, and exhibiting.

 

What’s in These Partnerships for AORE?

Aside from the benefits our members receive, AORE actively seeks partners who support our mission of empowering leaders to connect people to the outdoors through recreation and education experiences. These partners are often looking for ways to support initiatives and causes that support their own missions and values. 
Here comes the part no one likes to talk about: nonprofit organizations require financial support to continue to do their day-to-day work.  While most would think that membership dues and registration fees are what keeps things going, more times than not, it’s funding and sponsorship from industry partners that is doing the heavy lifting.  While we all love the free gear, it’s the real dollars that have the most impact for an association. This funding allows us to compensate speakers for their time and expertise, reduce pricing on our programming and sometimes (literally) help keep the lights on. 

Partnerships help AORE not only support our mission, but also support our members and the impactful work they do within the outdoor industry.  
 

Using These Partnership to Your Advantage

There are plenty of ways to use these partnerships to your advantage and keep the association working for you: